Good News, Good News, Good News, Bad News.

[FishBlast]

How about some vallis or similar in there Fishblast? That would give them immediate upper-layer cover which might entice them up there..as I recall that stuff spreads out quickly as well - I know my swords of old swam through it a lot!

And yes my hoplo's never stop, constantly up and down to the surface, competing at all levels for food...but then they are juvies unlike your mature fellow

I don't know if that grows with no ferts, and even if it does, I need to keep a balance between fish-waste consumers there. I already have 3 fast-growers (and arguably, the java fern seems to have taken the role of 4th fast waste eater)
Vallis would probably dry up.

Tzuppy first waits to get first bite at the surface and then dives to the sand and eats everything left over by the swordies.

 

[FishBlast]

The new girl's so cute, she hangs out with the other two swordies. Although the females do fight between them every now and then. Even my cousin said that Bee has a face that tells she's trouble. X)) Eris looks like a very thin goldfish.

 

[FishBlast]

Fish tank update vid.

 

[JDs4me]

looking good fishblast...at the start there it looked like Tzuppy was in with the fry!!

How long will you have to keep the fry in there then?

 

[FishBlast]

looking good fishblast...at the start there it looked like Tzuppy was in with the fry!!

How long will you have to keep the fry in there then?

If he wanted to, he could have easily jumped in with them. Lol. there is enough space at the top and he sometimes climbs over the filter at night.

Well, the eldest ones being 2 months old, will only stay there until July. The youngest of them maybe in August.
Pinky seems to be big enough to not fit in any swordtail's mouth (and not sure if Tzuppy would reconsider his love for fry with another meaning eventually, so I'm kind of scared to place Pinky there).